Victory
by redvelvetcupcakes
Summary: Sequel to Surrender...their love had torn the world asunder and now they owed it to everyone to put things right. Logans alive please stop jamming pins into my voodoo dolls- it hurts
1. Chapter 1

The light that emanated from the bulb was too high up to cast anything more than a soft glow on the floor of the theatre. The only piece of furniture in the room was a surgery table, and like everything else in the room it was metal.

Molded by Magneto himself.

It was the least he could do considering that upon the table lay the body of his second-in-command. The Immortal Warrior.

The Wolverine.

He looked down at the corpse, the head severed from the body in one blow, feeling a surprising lack of emotion for the man who had been instrumental to his successful coup d'etat against the human race, who had helped him become leader of all mutants, willing or not, in all but name. The Wolverine had done all this and yet Magneto sensed nothing.

Not a whit of feeling.

Unlike his daughter.

Wanda Maximoff had somehow managed to sob her way through two boxes of tissues since finding the body and looked well on her way to her third one. He fought the repulsion that coursed through him at such an ugly display, beside her Morph looked just as bereft, clinging to the table where his leader lay…looking for the entire world like a devastated friend.

Like they hadn't both betrayed the man a dozen times over.

"What can be done about the body?"  
Magneto glanced sideways as a mutant came forward, a rather pretty Native American, Egret, he believed she was called.

"Can he be put back together…for decencies sake?"

Frowning slightly, he slowly circled the table, observing the bloodied body from all angles, really all he'd have to do would be to control the particles in the adamantium, heating and cooling it again, melting it back together to connect it. It was possible but he just didn't see the point.

Now possibly wasn't the time to mention that however, the subtle clearing of a throat alerted him to his son's presence, he raised his head and saw Pietro glance quickly to the corner of the room and away again. He followed his gaze and saw several of the Wolverine's soldiers standing there looking lost without their leader, they would need to be brought back into the circle of Pietro and Magneto's people.  
To prevent weakening in the Brotherhood ranks.

To prevent his final solution from not running smoothly.

So he took a deep breath and summoned his power, delving deep into the amazing metal and delighting in the near sensual taste it left in his mouth. The sheer heat he created in the substance left him dizzy with exultation and melted the skin of the corpse. He cooled it quickly to prevent the adamantium from shifting from its previous shape…

But he had still ruined the neck and a large part of the shoulders of the Wolverine, the flesh had liquefied and slowly slid down the table, driving several the room in distress or disgust at the stench.

Well he had put the body back together.

Mentally shrugging he stepped away from the corpse and reaching out he caught the edge of his son's cloak, gently leading him to a secluded niche, they bent their heads together and Magneto delighted in the familiarity between himself and his son that they could understand each other without words.

But he spoke them anyway.

"Prepare the troops for a final battle against the X-Men"

Pietro's eyes, the same color as his own lit up with excitement, and he turned his head to contemplate the situation before them. Filled with pride, Magneto slung his arm about his shoulders and followed his gaze…

While unnoticed on the table, so miniscule that even the most visually gifted mutants weren't able to pick it up…

The Wolverine's flesh cooled and began to knit back together.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Yes the end of this chapter has one of the most stereotypical endings in history but what the hey its always a goodie.

* * *

"Oh"

One word, only _one_ word left her mouth upon hearing the report.

Kitty Pryde rocked back on her heels and cast a sideways glance to Doctor McCoy, and when he offered no acknowledgement, twisted her head over her shoulder to where Scott Summers stood, leaning lightly against the main support in the tent. He had brought the news to them, terrified over what would happen if it was heard elsewhere.

"So…"

All attention riveted back to Rogue as she spoke again, she swallowed and seemed to have trouble breathing. Kitty could certainly testify that her hands were being crushed by her best friend, perhaps the pain even showed on her face because both Hank and Scott came forwards to each relieve her of a hand. Freed from that duty she climbed onto the cot beside the shocked Southerner and wrapped an arm about her shoulders consolingly, ignoring the agony sweeping through her own heart.

"We're sure it ain' jus' a rumor?"

Rogue had lifted her head to look both men before her in the eye, hope visible to even the most emotionally blind. But it had been too long a time since anyone in the confined space had believed in hope to allow the foolishness for long.

* * *

Scott shook his head slowly,

"You know I would never have told you if I wasn't completely sure…all of D.C's in mourning and there have been retribution attacks all along our front lines…nothing official…but they wouldn't be so brazen if they weren't certain…I _am_ sorry"

She frowned and turned her face to Kitty, staring past her eyes into her mind, as if the answers were in there.

"But…how? His mutation…how could someone have? The X-Men have been looking for ways to kill him for years…if we couldn't find a way how could…?"

Kitty unable to bear it any longer, choked on her breath and gasping for air, phased through the bed- she would have gone through the floor but Scott reached out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her to him roughly.

She buried her head into his chest, inhaling the watered down cologne through the dust and the sweat. Tears squeezed past her eyelids and burned her cheeks, but she could still hear the realization in her friend's voice,

"Jubilee never died in battle did she?"

Kitty sobbed and shook her head,

"We didn't know what had happened…we were afraid you would try to get back to D.C and find…"

"Why did ya t'ink she woul' be in _Magda_?"

She froze and knew immediately she had made a mistake, she waited for three breathless seconds while Rogue processed everything, put every horrible clue together.

"Logan knew Jubilee was coming to kill him…he warned you and…you didn't tell me!"

She had finished the sentence screaming furiously at them. Kitty felt both men recoil, Scott somehow managed to pull back while keeping a firm arm around her.

"An' now he's dead…an' you didn' say a _word_ abou' Jubilee…huh!"

Kitty twisted in Scott's embrace, struggling to see the reason behind the sudden lack of emotion in her friend's voice.

Rogue was still sitting on the cot, her hands clenched into fists, her face blotched with anger and her eyes wild. Then as suddenly as her temper had appeared, it was gone and the Southern Belle had a…_calm_ look on her face,

"I'm hungry; think I'll go have somethin' in the mess tent"

Rising gracefully to her feet, Rogue lifted her jacket so it wouldn't brush her three team members as she swept from the tent.

It took only a second or two for them to scramble to their feet and follow after her.

Because as a rule- Rogue didn't eat in the mess tent anymore.

* * *

Not even a year ago Rogue _had_ been known as the Queen of Hearts by the people she had fought to save, but she had returned from Magda with her reputation in tatters. Those who had previously been so far down on the food chain that they couldn't even tell the X-Man how to take her coffee were now openly snubbing her, some even refusing to take her orders, others shouting the word _Whore_ whenever she walked past.

Responding to this Emma Frost had diligently refused to leave the young woman's side for the first few days of her arrival and had visited telepathic humiliation on every last person, mutant or human that had dared insult her. It hadn't let up but she had made dozen of small battle plans that impressed anyone who heard them,

First-She had arrangde for a small unoccupied tent to become the new X-men eating quarters,

Second- Either Kitty or herself, or failing them both, Hank was to accompany Rogue at all times.

Third- Nobody, not even Xavier, was allowed under pain of death to make any comment about the Wolverine or Jubilee's disappearance when Rogue was within a mile of earshot.

All those rules were being broken now as Rogue marched across the square, her head held high and her hood pushed back so anyone in any doubt about the jacket or the gait could tell who she was by her hair.

Leaving the men for dust Kitty scampered after her without the slightest dignity, catching up just as she banged her way into the mess tent and proceeded, amongst silent, shocked soldiers, to gather food onto her plate.

Her own face turning red, she slid up to her friend, about to lay a hand on her arm when she was violently rebuffed,

"Don' even think abou' i' Shadowcat" Rogue warned her, not bothering to keep her voice down,

"Ya lied t'me, ya lied abou' Jubilee and ya lied abou' Logan…an' now the two people I loved mos' are dead!"

When she turned and looked at her Kitty noticed with alarm that the wild gleam hadn't left Rogue's eyes, indeed it appeared to have settled there. As had the bitter grimace playing on the Southerner's lips,

"My chil' will _never_ know his father cause of you"

With that she pushed passed Kitty, her head held high as she carried her breakfast outside.

And Kitty Pryde stood alone in the middle of the crowded tent, cursing the memory of the destroyed letter as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- I own nothing, sorry this wasn't made sooner. Hope you all enjoy...he's getting there

_

* * *

Wolverine is dead and I can't live with the guilt._

_Goodbye x_

Wanda's hand was weakening as she finished the short note, not even twenty words. But that was possibly because blood poured profusely from the deep gash in her throat. With the last of her strength she tried to grab the paper, but it was too far from her reach.  
Her world darkening, as her entire being screamed in physical pain and emotional agony. Choking for air that was unable to reach her heart the only thing left for her to do was slump against the table and utter a death rattle.

Wolverine allowed himself a grin as he slid the exotic, antique dagger into the hand of the Scarlet Witch. Knowing her famous passion for luxury and expensive goods would make the suicide weapon all the more viable.

And prevent him from the unnecessary use of his claws.

Slowly, more slowly then he would have usually moved, he crept from the room caught between trying to understand his dulled senses and cursing himself for his weakness.

Even if it was sheer _miracle_ that he was alive.

The autumn draft in the corridor inflamed his still exposed flesh, flesh which even as his mutation tried to knit together he ripped open again with his miniscule movements. If he had been thinking about himself he would have stayed on his deathbed for a few more days and feigned death while he recovered. But he didn't have that time.

He had the advantage, right now everyone assumed he was dead and nobody would question his body being unaccounted for. For that reason he had been able to track Wanda Maximoff and Kevin Sydney.

The Scarlet Witch and Morph

Only to find that they had already begun planning to wreak revenge on the X-Men- in particular the Rogue. So sickened by their own guilt the only way they could survive would be to put the blame on someone else.

Wanda he had been partly merciful to, allowing her the dignity of a supposed suicide. She had fallen on her knees before him and pleaded for her life, or barring that his forgiveness, begging him to see how deeply she had loved, adored, and _worshipped_ him. In the dim light, granted only by the moon filtering through the clouds, it was easy to imagine himself in her position, making the same appeal to the woman he loved, adored and worshipped.

And to know that she couldn't, _wouldn't_ give up hope of one day winning him over.

Morph had been easier to feel nothing but loathing for.

Where Scarlet Witch had been driven by what few emotions she could feel, and raised in such a cruel manner as to not understand the difference between right and wrong. Kevin Sydney knew the difference, knew the betrayal he was making against his friend and hadn't even cared enough to show anything but fear for his own life.

He was hanging from the ceiling fan in his room; hung by the very sheets Wolverine had watched him pleasure himself on, moaning aloud his sickening thoughts about Rogue.

For that Wolverine had forced poisonous chemicals down the traitor's throat, ones that would leave marks as they visited unimaginable grief upon the internal system.

Dangerous for him...but oh so _worth_ it.

* * *

Taking a small passage he slipped from the building and sprinted across the lawn, not even daring to breathe until he reached the abandoned buildings on the other side. Pressing his face to the wall as he crumpled slowly to the floor he did his best to smother his cries of suffering. For a moment actually wishing Magneto hadn't put him back together, had simply removed his head far from his body and not allowed it to heal.

But even that thought he couldn't nurture for long...because during his run he had seen the flaming torchlight from the centre of Magda, and knew exactly what happening.

Jubilee's body had been found by his troops, when he had finally awoken he had gone down to the autopsy chambers he'd found it to have been checked out by some local civilian- a teenage girl with gills who obviously thought she was important enough to have dragged the body to the streets and handed it over to the angry mob.

He didn't even want to think about how much it would take him to remove it from the mob without being seen.

* * *

All of Magda appeared to be out on the streets, drinking, shouting, looting- using his death as an excuse to behave like animals.

If he had actually been dead he might have felt offense.

A large bonfire stood in the middle of an intersection, piled at least six ft, high and Wolverine nearly had a fit when he thought of Jubilee's body being in the flames.

Thank goodness the alcohol had stopped her from getting that far, instead she lay thrown carelessly under a car, either forgotten or stashed there until further atrocities could be decided for her. Quickly he approached, knocking out a man from behind and stealing his jacket, throwing up the hood to cover his face. Most eyes seemed to be on the bonfire, allowing him to jump onto the pavement and slide under the car, gently, as if she were Marie, he gathered her up into his arms, cursing gently as her head lolled back exposing her neck and the one piece of flesh that held the two together. Rigor Mortis had already set in, almost making him thankful that all her bones had been broken. Squeezing them both back onto the street, he quickly wrapped his jacket around her also, adjusting her so that she stood and wrapped both arms about her, knowing that anyone taking a cursory glance would simply see two revelers staggering home.

By force of habit Wolverine had learnt the outlay of Magda, he used that now to break into a morgue, one that had all the supplies but wouldn't be up and running for another week. Much of the building of Magneto's capital had been postponed while he had been distracted by Marie.

He smiled now, wondering if it had been some plan on her part, doubtful though, like him she was too proud to be so deceptive.

Gently he laid Jubilee on a table and grabbed all the necessary equipment, he had never fixed a dead body before, usually once someone was dead he stopped considering them all together. This was different though, he couldn't take Marie's friend back to her with obvious bullet wounds and the effects of death still fouling up the body, he'd do his best to make sure she simply looked as if she were sleeping.

He didn't see the point himself, but he knew it would bring comfort to the X-Men.

How he would get the body to them hadn't occurred to him yet.

But considering he had reincarnated a few short hours ago he reckoned he was allowed to take things one step at a time.

At least until he was close to his Marie again.


	4. Chapter 4

These chapters are short but I'm lazy- I'll do a nice long one next, throw in a battle scene, a pregnancy announcement, maybe even a murder if I can decide which character to kill off. (not Magneto, he'll die later, I think- sorry for the spoiler if he does)

* * *

Over the years Emma Frost had developed the ability to handle her telepathy and a verbal conversation at the same time. Right now she was supposedly paying full attention to the weekly X-Men meeting whilst repeatedly focusing her powers on one spot along the front lines- again…and again…and _again_.

Well, she was trying to and it was the thought that counted.

Sighing she withdrew into her physical self and pushed her chair back, rising to her feet and looking about her. Scott sat to the left of her, an arm resting casually around Kitty Pryde's shoulders; he looked up in concern,

"Where are you off to Ems?"

She threw her wicked trademark grin,

"I have an orgy planned with half the enlisted men"

It was a sign of how long she and Scott had been together that he took that remark in a stride,

"Hope you had Hank check them for VD, I still reckon that rash of mine was your fault"

"No that was your little kitten there"

She gestured to the distracted Shadowcat who managed to feign annoyance,

"Hey Scott and I practice clean sex! We always do it in the showers"

Hank and Scott smothered their laughs while Professor Xavier looked on disapprovingly,

"If we could have order…Miss Frost if you would be so kind as to return to your seat"

She shook her head and backed through the door,

"_Trust_ me Charles dear, you want me to do what I'm about to do"

With that she dodged a passing soldier and forced herself to amble slowly to the edge of the camp, practicing the façade of nonchalance that had always come so naturally to her. Not tonight though, she was too excited for that.

When she reached the boundaries of the front line, quiet for the last week, she disappeared into the forest and followed the picture in her head, knowing that what she sought was by the river directly where the boundaries crossed. The forest was deceptively quiet, the lack of natural noise alerting her to the presence of soldiers- _whose_ was likely to be discovered at a more inconvenient time- but she had faith in her powers. Her telepathy and telekinesis was second only to Charles Xavier and Phoenix- one of them being very much dead.

Ducking under a low hanging branch, Emma raised her head and found herself staring into a person's eye.

Although perhaps _person_ wasn't the right word for it.

Emma Frost had come to the X-Men after Wolverine had already joined Magneto; she had never seen him up close outside of battle. She knew his basic appearance though,

Well what he was supposed to look like had he not been missing large amounts of body.

The man before her seemed to be surviving on sheer stubbornness alone, his bones were visible on his face, one eye missing, new skin stretched and colliding with scars and bloodied wounds. Clothes hanging off him and a glint in his eye which suggested that he wasn't completely sane.

"Are you alone?"

Emma jumped as he spoke; bravely she sauntered forward, nodding down at the seated figure. Even in the night she could see his frown and hear the disapproval in his voice,

"That's not smart…you could be hurt"

She smirked,

"I _doubt_ you could do much damage at the moment…what are you holding?"

Spread across his lap in a reverse of the Pieta was a wrapped lump, a standard issue hospital sheet cocooning the Wolverine's offering. Sighing the man lifted a hand from underneath it and used it to gently remove the white slip.

"Oh no…"

Emma covered her mouth as she sunk to her knees, tears coming unwittingly to her eyes as she saw Jubilee's youthful face, settled forevermore into a peaceful expression- so unlike her always cheerful countenance that she'd had.

"What..." she swallowed back bile and struggled to speak, "What happened?"

Wolverine made to return the sheet over Jubilee's face but she shook her head violently at him, he grunted unhappily,

"She was caught by Morph after killing me…she'd managed it too…unfortunately he put a round of bullets into her…one got her right in the brain…she wouldn't have suffered… only problem was while my body was putting itself back together…an angry mob got to hers…"

Emma interrupted him with her groans, horrified and grief stricken at the thought of Jubilee's body being desecrated; wearily readjusting his hold on the remains he reached over and touched her knee.

"It's okay…I…broke into a morgue and cleaned her up real nice, I even managed to cover up her severed head…sewed it right back onto her neck…she looks beautiful"

"She is…she _was_…thank-you"

Carefully she held her arms out for the body, only to have Wolverine draw it closer to himself, he shook his head, the exhaustion painstakingly obvious,

"No…I have to give it to _Marie_…put it in her arms…make sure its safe…owe it to them both…_friends_…they were friends…they are friends?...no they _were_ friends"

Emma rocked back on her heels and observed the Immortal Warrior carefully, her mind working quickly as she ran through her options.

What if she could bring the Wolverine back to the X-Men?

Imagine the blow to the Brotherhood morale! To lose their best warrior, imagine what it would do for the X-Men. Wolverine probably knew everything there was to know about the fighting ability of those soldiers- not to mention the security issues.

Oh, this was the opportunity of a lifetime!

Provided she could keep him alive long enough to make the deal.

Emma Frost was hardly a doctor but even she could tell that this man needed rest, she chewed her bottom lip and looked at him askance,

"Wolverine dear, when was the last time you slept?"

He looked up at her, "Marie?"

She inhaled deeply, "Yes...um...you'll see her _soon_ dear...but perhaps...lie down to sleep first?"

"With Marie?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation she was tempted to roll her eyes-

Talk about a one track mind!

"No dear not with Marie, right now you dont have enough skin to be counted as a mammal, you'll scare her, you don't want to do _that_ do you?"

He stared at her in horror, "No!"

"Right"

Emma ran a hand through her long blonde hair as she considered the options for the night, somehow she couldn't see Scott letting the enemy camp down on their tent floor for the night.

And it was far too late to raise hell by bringing him into camp.

Nor could she leave him alone for the night- she doubted he was 'there' enough to be trusted not to wander into the camp looking for Marie, holding Jubilee's dead body.

That would _not_ go down well

She sighed, "Lie down here for the night, sleep, regrow your skin cells, tomorrow we'll go see Marie"

Scott would thankfully trust her enough not to worry or question her when she didn't come to bed that night.

Sometimes being in love did have its advantages.

Provided you weren't Wolverine or Rogue.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- Yeah I promised a lot of things in this chapter next chapter they'll happen

* * *

"Sweetheart"

He loved that word; he loved applying it to the sharp edged woman with whom he had made habits and patterns into a wonderful relationship.

Scott didn't even look up, he simply held out a hand for his lover as she approached.

But he had obviously missed something when he got up alone this morning, because Emma approached at a dead run and in one fluid move managed to yank him from the centre of the compound to behind a tent.

"We have a problem" she gasped, bending slightly to catch her breath.

"Told you to use protection, anything I get now is _so_ your fault"

The look she gave him reminded Scott that this woman had the most power of known mutants and the least morals over which to police them. He decided to apologize quickly,

"Sorry love, force of habit…what's wrong?"

She swallowed and looked around quickly,

"Promise _not_ to get mad?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Wow…last time you asked for that you went out and committed eight felonies while I subbed your History class"

"Yeah well…Wolverine's alive and wandering around the camp with Jubilee's body"

The words came out in such a rush that for a moment Scott Summers was positive that he had misunderstood- except for the annoying fact that Emma's words to him were often accompanied by telepathic images.

Shame they couldn't give an explanation.

He rested his hands on his hips and looked down at the earth- a habit he'd picked up from Ororo Munroe who had seen it as a way to remember 'the manner from whence all came' – he saw it as a way to buy himself a few seconds of thinking time.

"Are you sure…?" he stopped and tried again,

"Who…what…when…where and most importantly…_how_?"

"I sensed him when he turned up last night on the front line, he has Jubilee's body and he's determined to give it to Rogue and honestly I don't know how he's alive but he looks like something from a bloody horror movie or the stomach of a dissected cat"

"Do you think he knows where Rogue is?"

"_We_ don't know where Rogue is!"

"Well then hopefully we'll get to her before he does…contact everyone, tell them to be on the lookout for either Rogue or Logan"

She released his hand and closing her eyes, touched it to her temple before pausing,

"_Everyone_…including Charles?"

Almost automatically Scott opened his mouth to reply yes; of course the Professor should be warned. He was their leader; nothing could be kept from him, even when Scott had questioned the telepaths choices, his decisions, he had always remembered that this man had been like a father to him, had given him Jean…

Had driven the Wolverine mad.

He swallowed nervously, "No…not the Professor, he'll alert the soldiers and it'll turn into a bloodbath"

It was a measure of the love Emma had for him that she didn't question his decision, although if she wanted to she would simply go behind his back and disobey him.

She obviously didn't want to.

Soon Emma, Hank, Kitty and himself were trying to conduct an inconspicuous search of the camp, keeping their eyes wide and ears pricked, waiting for the chaos that a sighting of such an enemy would invoke. Emma was keeping them all connected via a telepathic link, it was disorientating because one had to stop and recognize their own thoughts or run the risk of walking right past the Wolverine and think that they hadn't seen him.

Suddenly Scott stopped just behind the mess tent and, bending over, retched into the bins. The image of Jubilee's body lying in a deep burial plot, the earth surrounding it was almost as dark as the young girl's hair.

'_Found her'_

Kitty thoughts were so weak and distressed that Scott couldn't gather any co-ordinates from her; he did however spot Hank hurrying through the compound and staggered after him, both men obviously feeling the affects of Kitty's view.

As the fresh morning air reached him he looked around and realized that, as Emma appeared at his side, the trio were heading out of the camp, up a forested hill.

The scenic route to the refugee shantytowns, where one could hide and successfully enjoy quiet time without the intrusion of half a dozen people each demanding something urgent.

"Anyone see where…?" Scott broke off and looked around for tracks,

Emma tilted her head, "We saw a grave, assuming that it was put on flat land, I'd assume it was at least half-way up"

Hank pivoted on his heel and then, despite himself, sniffed the air. Though his sensory skills were far below the Wolverine, Scott had noticed that as the years progressed Hank developed, or tended to rely more upon his animalistic abilities.

Suddenly he paused and beckoned to Scott to follow him, moving slowly through the brush. Cautiously, he stepped after him and came to an opening in the forest,

Where a new grave lay.

* * *

Later Scott would feel cheated that he had been deprived of one last true glance of Jubilee, and a true goodbye. As it was he simply felt satisfied that the body had been buried with a large boulder marking its place, though looking close he saw the boulder had been carved and smoothed down to form a perfect star.

Not by any ability of Rogue's.

At a nudge from Emma, Scott followed her gaze to see their young Southerner coming from the tree line, clutching a small posy of wildflowers in her right hand…

And holding Wolverine's hand in her left.

He too was holding handpicked flowers, but Scott didn't think it wise to mock him for it.

Neither of them acknowledged their audience but approached the grave, Marie kneeling down in the earth and, reaching silently behind her to take Wolverine's offering, lay the flowers by the grave's marking.

"May ya find our friends wherever they may be an' know the happiness an' love tha' you so selflessly gave t'others"

Scott listened spellbound as Marie spoke a eulogy for their fallen comrade, wishing he had some tribute with which to leave Jubilee, he made a promise that the next victory-whenever it came- of the X-Men would be dedicated to her. To the fierce spirit that burned a bright light in the times of darkness.

"An' finally Jubes…know that I'll never forget ya, no matter what happens…you'll always be my little sister"

Scott crossed himself and murmured the obligatory 'Amen', even though it had been so long since he had even considered God. Beside him Emma had bowed her head and Hank had clasped his hands respectfully. They were each absorbed in their own farewells and he took the moment of inactivity to take measure of the Wolverine.

The man looked as though he were in perfect health, gently he bent down and held a hand out for Marie, taking it she rose to her feet and casually embraced him, burying her head in his neck. He stroked her with an obvious intimacy and familiarity, running his hand along her spine and across her neck. Scott found it awkward to behold them and was almost grateful when Kitty emerged from her hiding place.

He was concerned though when the young girl marched right up to the lovers,

"So that's it then?" she demanded, grabbing Marie's arm and perhaps attempting to pull her away from their enemy, though it was hard to tell as Wolverine didn't even budge or show any sign of effort.

"Is all forgiven?"

Marie seemed to be aware of them all for the first time; she looked at them with a sudden wariness and turned in her embrace, resting her back against the Wolverine,

"What's t' be forgiven tha' wasn' done by hands other than Logan's?" she challenged her friend,

"How many people are dead because of _him_?" Kitty shrieked at her,

"How _many_?!"

Marie opened her mouth to answer but, to everyone's surprise, Wolverine took the question.

"Probably round the same number that would still be alive today had Xavier and Summers not abandoned me at the world's end in the hope that I would die"

Scott chewed his tongue in anger but he knew, deep down, that when he truly gave the thought credence, that everything- all the troubles he had faced in the last decade, could all be traced back to that one sun drenched morning when he had followed Xavier's orders.

_Followed Xavier's orders…_

"Wolverine"

Scott rose his voice to ensure all attention would focus on him, he swallowed and continued on before he could have a change of heart,

"I extend immunity to you while you're in our territory, none of the soldiers shall be able to touch or attempt to harm you without disobeying direct orders. Welcome"

Logan nodded politely,

"Thank-you"

At this Scott turned on his heel and began his way down the mountain, feeling relief beyond words as after a minute's hesitation the X-Men began to follow him, all realizing in part the significance of his action.

The revolution had begun.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- Here's the reunion.

* * *

'Don't breathe,' she whispered to herself,

'As long as I don't…breathe…It'll be _fine_…he'll still be here'

Marie quivered continuously as she descended the hill, the hand of the man she still loved wrapped tightly in hers. Without the protection of adamantium, she may have long ago crushed it to a fine powder, but she still wouldn't have been able to release him.

It had barely been sunrise and she had escaped from the camp to find solace in undestroyed nature, the few remains of it in the country she had once loved, she had found a magnolia tree, clearly planted deliberately outside of its natural territory. But it had reminded her so much of the South, where her heart and spirit still lingered and for which she would have gladly surrendered just to see the Mississippi once more. She found herself climbing up the hill everyday just to bury her nose in the flowers and remember the happiness of her childhood.

She had been there when Logan had appeared out of the morning mist, for a moment she simply assumed she was asleep, dreaming of the man she still missed in spite of herself. Though she had never imagined that Jubilee would be with him,

Not dead anyway.

He had laid the blanketed body at her feet, the face still covered but Marie had known instantly.

Logan wouldn't bring her a body otherwise.

He hadn't spoken to her, but had knelt before her waiting patiently. After several long moments she had realized that not only was she awake but that Logan _was_ there- with her.

Silently she had pointed to the magnolia tree and, shifting out of the way, watched as he began to dig with his bare hands.

The day became lighter but he didn't stop, nor did she ask him to, eventually the hole became a perfect six-foot grave. No longer able to avoid the inevitable, Marie had knelt over her best friend and removed the covering, to her immense relief she could see that the body hadn't been desecrated after death. Quickly she bent down and kissed her forehead,

"Goodbye Jubes"

Using her incredible strength, she picked up the body with the ease she would have picking up a rag doll and dropped down into the grave to place her friend in the earth. Logan held out a hand and she climbed out again, albeit reluctantly, turning her back, closing her eyes and stopping her ears as he began to shovel the earth back in.

She started when he took her shoulder gently; she looked over at the fresh grave and shuddered at its bareness.

"It'll need a marker, some sor' o'headstone"

She couldn't meet his gaze but her eyes traced his jaw as he looked around curiously, he looked like he needed a shave, shocked that she was noticing these small details she hurried into the woods looking around desperately for wild flowers.

Strangely enough she had felt grateful when the X-Men had intruded upon the makeshift funeral, not only had Kitty and Scott confirmed Logan's presence, for even when she had pressed her face into his neck, inhaled his scent and felt him caress her, fear had caused her to doubt.

Fear that if he was a mirage that her heart would simply stop beating with grief.

She felt as though she was watching herself from above, hearing herself argue with Kitty, watching as the X-Men together silently took side with Scott, accepting him as their new leader. The _harder_ she gripped Logan's hand the _less_ she seemed to feel it, the _deeper_ she inhaled his scent the more _elusive_ it became, experimentally, when she and Logan lingered outside the camp, waiting until nightfall to hide his presence, she ran her fingers through his hair and slid her hands under his shirt raking her nails down his chest. It seemed as though she were clawing air, however when she pinched herself or brought her heel down hard upon her little toe, possibly breaking it in the process, she was aware of the pain. She noticed the sweat, dirt and hunger that she had accumulated throughout the day, she could smell herself, hear herself when she spoke and feel her body…

Perhaps it was Logan's silence towards her that made her question everything, even when she had been touching him intimately he had simply stood there and allowed it, making no advance of his own.

Once darkness had set upon the world, Emma sent them a telepathic signal, carefully Marie took Logan's hand and led him through the camp, keeping to a path that led behind the tents, trusting him when he pulled her back to avoid detection. It was painstakingly slow but recognition now would end with both of them being attacked.

Reaching her tent she swept him inside and looked around, making sure no-one had seen, darting through the folds herself she quickly closed the entrance. Sighing with relief, only then did she turn to face Logan, noting as she did so that Kitty's things had been removed from the tent. She wondered if she should feel sad about this, at the moment she simply _did not _care.

She took a step towards Logan, who was looking down at her cot with a curious expression on his face,

"It's a shame I couldn't somehow bring our bed and blankets with me"

Hearing his deep voice again caused her to jump,

"Cause that don't look too warm or comfortable"

"Oh…_oh_…_wow_!"

Marie dimly realized that she was quickly losing distance between herself and the floor, but Logan caught her at the last second, holding her as her spell passed,

"Darlin'" he demanded urgently,

"What is it? What's _wrong_?"

"You're here, you're real…oh ya evil fuckin' bastard, you're no' _dead_, you're here with me!"

Crying she pulled him to her, falling back against the floor and clinging to him desperately, she kissed him fiercely, rolling him over so that she lay atop him,

"Oh God…Logan…oh ya asshole, oh my love…"

She rained kisses on his face, stroking every part of him that she could reach, inhaling his scent so deeply she could feel it in her throat. She bit hard on his ear lobe and delighted as she felt his jerk of surprise,

"Darlin'" he murmured into her ear, his voice thick and strained,

"You're nails are breaking my skin"

She giggled at that, enjoying the sensation of him,

"Good…if I have ya blood under my nails then ya mus' be here"

He swore at that and pushed her off him, she tumbled back and he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her over to the bed and dropping her atop the sheets. He crawled atop her, wrapping her legs around his hips,

"I'm here" he growled, biting and sucking her neck till a bruise formed,

"I'm here" he tore her jacket and top from her body, exposing her breasts,

"I'm here" he yanked her pants down to her thighs and ripped her underwear,

"I'm here" his fingers entered her without warning and she yelped at the cold sensation, though he quickly made her warm and wet, he grabbed her hand roughly and pulled it down his pants, to where she felt his hot cock, throbbing with need,

"I'm _here_ and I'm _never_ leaving you again"

She laughed joyfully, "Good…I'll hold ya t'that sugah…but that's all I'm holdin' of ya tonight"

She pulled her hand back and set herself right again, throwing him a teasing smile as he looked at her incredulous,

"But…my darlin'…"

"The last time we had sex ya sent me away"

She became serious then, propping herself on her elbows to look him in the eye,

"I'm no' ready t'risk tha' again Logan…no matter wha' ya promise me"

He took a deep breath and nodded, sliding off the bed to pull the blankets back, when they lay together, side by side he slid an arm about her,

"I know you don't yet understand why I did that darlin'…but trust me…in a few months it'll be clear"

"_Oh_"

Her hand strayed to her stomach, cradling the hope that nestled there,

"So it _is_ true…I had reckoned tha'…but I wanted t'wait a little while longer til I was positively sure"

"Hmmm" he kissed her hair tenderly, resting his hand atop hers,

"I could smell it the second it happened…that's why I wanted to get you away to safety"

She slid his top up over his head and when they'd resumed their embrace placed her head over his chest, listening to his heartbeat,

"I wish you'd tol' me Logan, I was so terrified when I imagined i'…I was all alone…"

"Not anymore darlin'," his hand moved around her to stroke her stomach,

"I defeated Death for you and our baby and I'm not goin' anywhere ever again"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Wouldn't be a good story if there wasn't more than one enemy. Note the names he uses to identify his former friends.

* * *

"No!"

He shouted this word, hoping the raising of his voice, completely out of his character would convince Cyclops to back down. The man didn't even blink behind his ruby quartz glasses, but remained standing looking straight at him.

"Unfortunately Professor it's already been done, Logan spent last night in the camp..._with_ Marie"

"As _if_ I…"

Charles Xavier stopped and ran a hand over his face, trying to prepare his battle.

Wolverine here, in the camp,

In _his_ territory using one of _his_ students as a bedmate.

"The soldiers will never go for it" he spat, gripping the sides of his wheelchair in impotent fury,

"The moment they see the enemy they will attack"

"Not if we tell them otherwise" Cyclops assured him, his confidence radiating around him like an aura. Xavier laughed cruelly,

"I shan't tell them anything of the sort; I have half a mind now to alert the troops"

"And reduce the camp to a slaughterhouse?"

As if that _mattered_ to him. Xavier had seen _millions_ die because of _his_ orders and many more in the line of duty, what were a few more bodies if it meant the destruction of the Wolverine? And he would destroy him this time; he'd put a bullet through his heart and then wrap his body tight in chains and cast him to the bottom of the ocean, to be devoured by whatever _filth_ lurked there.

If only there was some way to get rid of Rogue and the bastard growing in her womb at the same time, perhaps a bullet going off course? If it hit her in the temple it would kill her instantly, no time to save the thing inside her. The thing whose power he had already detected. The image of her crumpling to the muddy earth, her bloody corpse devoid of life soothed him. She had been too much trouble for far too long, wandering between the two sides like the bitch in heat that she was- almost as bad as the White Witch.

Come to think of it he'd take that slut out at the same time. Cyclops had been nothing but arrogant since they'd started fucking each other like mating rabbits on Viagra.

Some of his bitterness and hatred must have shown on his face because suddenly Cyclops was kneeling before him, looking for the entire world like the young boy who had worshipped him all those years ago.

"Don't you see Professor? This is our chance to end the war, with Wolverine on our side we can win _any_ battle…we can have peace…after all these years…after all these battles…_peace_! Peace for us _all_…I never thought I'd see it again in my _lifetime_!"

Xavier could only look at his former student with disgust, what was peace when it meant surrendering to the Wolverine? To claim that all those years ago he had been wrong?

No better war, better bloodshed and grief than humiliation.

But Cyclops wouldn't see it that way, he had made a mistake with his first generation of pupils- he'd been a pacifist then, he'd truly, deeply believed that one must always do what is best for the world- what is good, what is right.

He'd driven that lesson too deeply into his pupils and now Cyclops, and in a way Beast would follow that teaching to the death.

Such a _waste._

* * *

He looked up at a disturbance to see that the White Wanton herself had entered the room, sauntering over to her lover and placing a hand on his shoulder; he rose and rested his hand on her own.

"I've spread word throughout the camp that Marie was sent back only to confuse the enemy, that Logan had planned to follow her- to switch to our side- once it was safe to do so"

"Do they believe it?" Cyclops murmured, Xavier leaned forward interested in the answer,

The White Witch laughed, "Yep…but at this point in the game they'd believe that I was the Goddess Gaia herself"

"You _bitch_!"

Xavier threw the insult at her, spittle flying from his mouth as his chair rocked under the weight of his power,

"You damn c**t, you've been against _me_ from the start!"

He didn't notice the devastated look on Cyclops' face, the White Witch only smirked cruelly,

"No Charles dear…I didn't start working against you until you told Jubilee about the Murasma blade and sent her to Japan in search of it, knowing it would be her destruction to do so"

He growled in fury, that he had been discovered by someone with enough balls to accuse him! How was he to have known the White Witch had enough blood to operate her brain and her libido at the same time?

"No, I _don't_ want to hear this!"

With that announcement his newest enemy stormed from the room, leaving his bedmate to linger. She looked him straight in the eye,

"I've placed telepathy blocks on the X-Men and the most influential in the camp Charles dear, any attempt at mind control _will_ hurt dreadfully"

"What about your precious Wolverine?" he taunted, retreating his wheelchair back into the shadows of the tent.

She simply smiled,

"As I said…telepathy blocks on the _X-Men_"

Fury choked him, allowing the brazen bitch to skip out with the last word. He tore his manicured nails on the armrests of his wheelchair and threw the stuffing to the dusty floor. He wished he had strength of his legs again so that he might storm about the camp and kick anything in his way, whether it be object, animal or mutant.

_Particularly_ mutant.

"Professor?"

"What?!" he cried out annoyed, who was daring to interrupt him now?

He quieted when he saw Shadowcat slink into the tent, pattering across the room to kneel and place her head in his lap.

"_I_ don't want him here anymore than you do" she announced clearly, looking into his eyes,

"He _never_ deserved all the fuss that was thrown over him"

Smiling widely, Xavier leant down and ran a hand through his little student's blonde locks,

"You're too right Kitty darling, and we shan't let that bad man ruin everything now, shall we?"

She shook her head in agreement and Xavier planted a kiss on her head as reward. In his mind he was quickly planning for the next battle between the X-Men and the Brotherhood, he wondered if he could speed the process by planting word of Logan's defection into the enemy's ear.

Surely Magneto would summon his full power against his newest enemy.

Surely his treacherous little students would throw themselves in the direct line of fire to protect their new ally.

Surely they would all perish at the hands of such as the Scarlet Witch and Wolverine's own soldiers.

Then he remembered the ally sitting at his feet and felt satisfaction wash over him.

Perhaps he would emerge from the next battle with one of his students alive after all.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N- I own nothing, cant remeber if I've said that yet, sorry for the delay

* * *

The room was cast into darkness, the large windows that were once filled with priceless stained glass had been shattered when the metal around them had been heated and used to smooth over the gaps. The tiny shards littered the room and Pietro stepped around them carefully, not doubting for an instant that they were sharp enough to cut through his shoes.

Certainly they had done a proper job on his father's.

Magneto knelt in the centre of the room, horrible animalistic sounds of grief coming from his mouth; he rocked back and forth, the body in his arms moving with him.

The body of Wanda Maximoff.

"My daughter…my daughter…_my_ _daughter_!"

'My twin sister' Pietro thought to himself, 'yet I feel nothing over her demise, she was foolish anyway…pining over the Wolverine like a lovesick schoolgirl…she could have jeopardized my inheritance if she'd bedded him'

It had been days now since the body had been discovered by routine inspection and the stench of death had begun to fill the room, to permeate into the walls and the expensive hangings- which was a shame really, they would all have to be thrown out.

And Pietro had so admired the replica of the Bayeux tapestry that had hung above the west wall.

"Why am I not allowed to have _daughters_?!"

He was brought back to the present by the horrific, gut wrenching cry issued by his father. He briefly wondered if the man had finally succumbed to the grief he had put aside for years,

The loss of his family and friends during the Holocaust,

The grief of losing his wife.

The horror of being held back as his first daughter Anya perished in a fire for being born different.

There were many more pains in his father's heart, too many to name. Pietro knew this, but it was _such_ an inconvenient time.

All Brotherhood soldiers were preparing for the final battle even as he lingered here watching his father mourn.

So inconvenient- and not even the right time to seize power for himself!

"Father?"

Pietro crouched down beside the older man, careful not to brush the corpse in his arms,

"Father I grieve for Wanda's death also…she was my twin...but this mourning does no good…she killed herself because of Wolverine…surely we should strike at the X-Men…at the Rogue in revenge?"

No response, Magneto simply moaned and buried his face in his daughters hair, sobbing now, the dry blood rubbing off on his beautiful clothes, Pietro sighed in annoyance and tried again,

"Father do you truly want all your great work destroyed by…" he searched for the words and decided to use a phrase he'd once heard from his father himself, "…an arrogant chit such as Rogue?"

The sobbing stopped and Magneto raised his head, his eyes bloodshot and glazed but in them a fire of determination.

"Revenge…against the X-Men…for the loss of my child…Pietro my boy what a divine idea"

With a surprising ease Magneto rose gracefully to his feet, sweeping to place his daughter's body on the bed,

"I'll send someone to care for you my dear"

Pietro watched with disgust as his father kissed the cold and clammy forehead…but if it meant getting his father to lead the troops into battle, why he'd even be able to shed a tear for his dear twin sister.

Together they strode into the main hall, where around them their most trusted mutants gathered, but Pietro noticed immediately that something was wrong; they were quiet, but too quiet. The stench of fear was noticeable even to the least empathic.

He resisted the urge to groan. What was going to keep him from the battle now? Another death? Another damn nuisance?

No something bigger than that.

Juggernaut stepped forward, looking contrite,

"You're not gonna like this…but…um…rumor from the other side says that Wolverine's alive and turned coat"

That statement had Pietro feeling lightheaded, as if in a dream state he turned to his father for instruction- and only with his quick speed managed to avoid the large table that went flying through the air catching Juggernaut in the chest and managing to send him back into the wall.

Magneto was panting with the exertion but his rage seemed to be giving him new life.

"Fetch all those who were loyal to Wolverine"

When Silverfox hesitated over his demand he repeated the order in such a voice that had her running from the room.

Magneto began pacing and Pietro took residence against the wall, for one of the few times in his adulthood, unable to guess what his father was going to do next.

It took the better part of an hour to round up all of Wolverine's troops, they'd tended to scatter following Wolverine's 'death', secretly Pietro wanted to know whether or not the rumor was true- and if so, how?

Damn if Pietro wouldn't give his soul for immortality.

Silverfox returned and led by Egret the troops filed in. As stony-faced as possible, in formation they stopped before Magneto and saluted, he stood before Egret,

"Step forward"

She obeyed, the eyes of her fellow warriors watching her with barely concealed concern,

"Yes sir?"

"Are you aware of the rumors spreading throughout the camp soldier?"

She frowned, "No sir"

"They say that Wolverine is alive and gone back to the X-Men,"

Egret blinked and stared at him,

"Do you believe this is true?"

"How could it be?"

Egret shook her head, losing her composure.

"Wolverine _is_ dead…I watched him…I stood at his deathbed…_no_ I _don't_ believe the rumor!"

Pietro watched with growing frustration- was there any female within the vicinity that wasn't carrying a torch for the damn Wolverine?

Magneto grinned and offered his hand to Egret,

"Then you shan't mind standing with me at the head of the troops?"

Her hand shook but she took his, "Yes I will fight at the head of your troops"

Pietro smirked and then moved to his father's side,

"My son…we march tonight"

* * *

A/N-Just to remind you all that Mags and co. havent completely disappeared


	9. Chapter 9

A/N- I dont own any of these characters and I am so sorry for the delay, just started Uni and have been flat out

* * *

"Ouch!"

"Hol' still!"

"I am holding still, you're the one that's moving up and down"

"I'm doin' my best!"

"I should never have agreed to this, should have waited a little longer"

"Well maybe if ya hadn' sen' me away sugah, I woul' have ha' more practice"

Logan couldn't say anything to that, he could only settle back in the chair and try to relax as his beautiful Marie ran a razorblade around his neck.

Using the excuse of giving him a shave to go within an inch of his life.

He'd woken up this morning to find Marie curled up in his arms, running her hands through his chest hair- and complaining that his hair had continued right up to his face. The decision to give him a shave had obviously been her first clear thought of the morning. Logan had been willing to give her whatever she wanted, enjoying that she had been able to wake up and find some routine with him suddenly back in her life.

She ran the blade down his neck one last time and kissed his jaw,

"Done sugah, you coul' almost pass as human"

He growled at her, pulling her onto his lap and grabbing the face washer from her hand to clean his face.

"Nothin' so good abou' lookin' human anyway" she allowed, ruffling his hair, before burying her face in his neck. He kissed her hair and rested one arm around her back and one on her stomach, stroking the small area where his child was growing.

He was worried that any minute now he would wake up to find it all a dream.

Tenderly he traced the smallest of imaginary bumps on his beautiful lover, trying to imagine what their child would look like- hopefully a gorgeous little girl with all of Marie in her, especially her eyes, the ones that could look at him with loving fury and entrance him every moment of every day.

Suddenly she shifted uncomfortably against him and he tensed, his five senses immediately darting to his unborn child, when he realised it was still safe, he took her chin and started to turn her head towards him,

'_Up and at 'em cute ass, my dear wants us in his tent...orgy time...orgy time...orgy time!_'

"What the _hell_?!"

Marie had already slipped from his lap and grabbed their jackets from the floor,

"Tha' was Emma Frost sugah...don' worry Scott's no' after an orgy...she jus' likes summoning us with a bi' of crudity"

Logan was still feeling too stunned to say much, he managed to make it to his feet and put on his jacket, before taking his darlin's hand,

"You realise it's still daytime...I go out there now there's gonna be a riot"

Marie sighed and looked up at him,

"I know...bu' we gotta face i'sooner or later...'sides i' can' be worse than an actual battlefield"

"Aren't you supposed to have been born a wom..._ow_!"

Logan held his left foot in the air and stared at the woman of his dreams, who had somehow managed to bruise his toe though two sets of army boots- hers and his.

"It'll heal"

* * *

Some time ago Logan had got used to people staring at him in public, whispers, pointing- he'd simply ignored it. Though it had helped to know then that those staring had been in awe of his powers and semi-worshipped him.

These starers wanted to lynch, keel-haul and crucify him all on the same day.

From obvious experience his beautiful, brave lover walked with her head held high and looked neither left nor right. Logan did his best to follow her lead but he could hear what the whisperers were saying,

"_Murderer"_

"_Turn-Coat"_

"_Monster"_

What's worse he didn't think he could argue against any of those accusations. He'd never truly considered what he'd done on his path to Marie, happy to sacrifice whatever conscientious objections he may have felt to get closer to his dream of her, not until he saw the refugee camp from afar had he realised a small portion of the devastation he had caused.

How many men had lost the woman they dreamt of because of him?

He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want not to.

His dream walked hand in hand with his worst nightmare.

* * *

Logan had to give Scott Summers credit for being a brave man.

As he and his lovely Marie entered the tent, hatred, chaos and potential rebellion nipping at their heels- he stood to greet Logan, holding his hand out in a gesture of greeting. It had been a while since someone had felt the courage to shake his hand.

"Thank-you for both coming, we felt an update of the situation was in order"

"War"

Marie mouthed the word to Logan when he looked to her in confusion, he nodded quickly to show his comprehension and then moved to the small table around which Emma, Hank and Kitty sat. Through intuition he chose the seat furthest from Kitty, not that great distance was possible when the diameter of the table was mere meters. She didn't consciously acknowledge his presence but he saw her frame stiffen and felt much of the same emotions from outside emanating from her. Then Marie appeared at his shoulder and looked each of the remaining X-Men in the eye.

Scott Summers looked determined

Hank McCoy looked undecided.

Emma Frost looked bored.

Seemingly satisfied she sat down and Logan had to wonder what she had thought when she had looked into Kitty's eyes, or if she even had done. He remembered all the nights she'd rested her head on his chest and prattled onto him about her life in the Mansion, her friends and how much she'd cared for them. Like himself, he believed Marie would ignore the unpleasant for as long as possible, especially when she loved the potential cause of the trouble.

"I called you all here today because Emma's sources tell us that the Brotherhood camp is rife with rumours about Logan's resurrection" he cast a curious, pointed glance at him, and Logan took the chance to give a brief summary about the events that had preceded his relocation. Marie turned in her seat,

"You did wha'...?!"

He shifted uncomfortably, "I'm not sure exactly but once my body was back together I think I healed up again"

Scott shook his head and blinked, "Anyway...what do you think will come of this?"

He leant back and considered the question,

"Wanda Maximoff, Magneto's daughter is dead, but I don't think he'll truly care about her enough to do any serious grieving. Kevin Sydney is dead and they may realise it was me, seeing as my and Jubilation Lee's bodies disappeared soon after. I reckon if he thinks I did do a turnaround he'll muster the troops and start a march before any of my men have the chance to follow me over or the Brotherhood has the time to suffer a blow to their morale"

"So we should get on the defensive?" Emma suggested, "Alert our own soldiers to a possible attack?"

When Logan realised the question was directed to both him and Scott he decided to answer first,

"Couldn't hurt and I would place money on Magneto wanting to end the war soon"

Scott opened his mouth but a loud noise beat him to it. For a moment they all frowned wondering, then jumped to their feet as they realised the sirens were alarms.

The Brotherhood were attacking.

* * *

Logan reached out and grabbed Marie's arm as she made to follow Hank McCoy out of the tent,

"Where d'you think you're going?"

She turned back to look at him, "T'the frontlines! T'fight as an X-Man!"

"And what of our child?!" he demanded, "Any wound to you could kill them!"

She faltered then, her free hand straying to her womb where she hadn't even begun to show.

"Bu'..." she stammered, "My...I can' abandon them!"

He tugged her arm and they moved out of the tent, into the chaos as around them soldiers rushed to their stations and visiting refugees fled in the other direction, hoping to reach and fortify the camp in the futile attempt to protect themselves if the war was lost. Seeing Scott's brunette hair and Emma Frost's long blonde hair ahead he followed them into a large pavilion, Marie tagging behind still conflicted. Scott bent over a holographic image of the various battlefields, and began barking instructions to the numerous underlings around him.

"Scott"

Everyone looked as Xavier wheeled into the pavilion,

"Will you join the battlefield, be a true leader for your men, or linger behind in safety here?"

Had Magneto chosen the words he couldn't have made the insult clearer. As it was Scott and Marie bristled and Logan despaired,

"I'll be fighting with my men, my women and my X-Men" he declared and Logan saw Emma Frost hang her head,

"Hank, Kitty, Marie, Emma and I will be on our different fronts and keep in touch via Emma's telepathic links...Logan, will you fight with us?"

"On the grounds that Marie doesn't fight" he demanded, "She's expecting our child"

For a moment a smile flickered on Scott's face, "Done, congratulations to you both. Marie stay here and guide the troops...with the Professor"

Beside him Marie nodded and then raised Logan's hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly,

"Come home t'me my love, so we nee' never be parte' again"

He nodded, his throat feeling tight. Around him people were beginning to hurry from the pavilion, determination in their faces. He knew his expression mirrored theirs.

If they won this battle the war might be over. Finally he could live in peace with the woman he loved and the child growing within them, any struggles after this wouldn't be as big as the ones they'd already faced.

Just one more battle.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N- Yes, but can you blame her?

* * *

"Sen' the thir' battalion t'the rear, have the secon' relieve the fourth"

Rogue stared at the holographic imagery before her, running her eyes over every miniscule detail to make her next decision. Looking through the veil of her hair she saw Xavier seated at the table, checking her every order but giving no advice. She felt a vein of resentment that she- a foot soldier, had to navigate a battle; she had spent all her fighting life beside the warriors, not on the sidelines ordering them about.

"How many casualties so far?"

"Five dead, eighteen wounded to count" someone told her and she nodded,

"Lis' o'their names?"

She forced her gaze to focus on the names before her, holding her breath, she sighed with relief when she saw that she didn't recognize any of the names.

Logan was safe.

Suddenly a cheer went up through the room, Marie turned back to the battlefield and saw that an entire line of Brotherhood soldiers- red for the enemy, green for the allies, had been decimated.

"Brotherhood casualties- fifty dead, one hundred wounded. That's twice as much as ours and one third of theirs!"

Logan, Marie smiled. Only he could decimate troops with that speed and proficiency.

"Do we have any troops lef' in reserve?"

"The fifth"

"Sen' them in," she ordered, becoming distracted when she saw Xavier leave the pavilion.

She made eye contact with a general and gave him a quick hand signal; he nodded and stepped forward, taking her position. She heard his gravelly voice issuing commands as she stepped outside, but she focused instead on the man in the retreating wheelchair, watching as he disappeared behind the mess tent bins.

Instinct told her to be wary; experience warned her about Xavier's long history of deception and manipulation, but she also knew that if left to his own devices he could wreak more havoc than a hundred Magneto's.

She and Logan were ample proof of this.

"Xavier?" he didn't even turn at her voice.

"Ya neede' in the war pavilion"

"By whom?" he inquired rudely, she felt ire rise up within her, everything they cared about depended on their victory and he was being a drama queen.

"The troops nee' t'see ya for moral suppor'"

"When Scott's doing all he can to undermine me?"

She started unaware until then that he had known about the silent revolution going on around him. She knew there had been a confrontation between him and Scott, with Emma giving vague details and she had seen the lost puppy look in Scott's eyes as he prepared himself to step from his surrogate father's shadow.

It had been too much to hope that Xavier would remain blinded by old friendships not to realize the power struggle and not make a move until it had been done.

"Surely now ain't the time t'talk abou' this Professor, after the battle perhaps but no' now"

"Oh after the battle? When Scott and your bedmate return victorious? No, I'd rather see you all dead first"

Even after all that had happened Rogue still felt hurt by that remark. That the man she'd once seen as a mentor, had tried to treat as an adopted uncle could feel so strongly against her.

"Well unfortunately tha' won' be happening" she told him, struggling to talk back her tightening throat, the sensation of approaching tears overwhelming her.

But what Xavier said next had her cold with horror.

"Oh…I would not be so sure of that my dear. You and Scott aren't the only one's capable of manipulating events"

The gleam in his eye was unlike anything Rogue had seen before, even when she had looked her enemies in the eye in the middle of a battle she hadn't seen such deliberate cruelty. All compassion, empathy and consideration for others was gone, along with any positive emotions this man may have once felt- all packed away deep into the recesses of his mind and substituted with vengeance and hatred.

"Oh Xavier," she whispered, fixing her gaze on the moving shadows against the mess tent,

"What have ya done t'Logan…t'Wolverine?"

He sneered at her, "Don't you mean your precious Logan? I do hope you made lots of memories with him while you could…because you'll never see him ag…"

His chair lurched forward with the sudden impact and Rogue watched as he braced himself, trying to twist around to see what had caused the motion.

He hadn't noticed the spreading stain turn his khaki shirt red.

Annoyance and surprise quickly turned to disbelief and then horror as he realized that he had been shot, he raised his hand to his chest where the bullet had lodged and it came away soaked with blood.

He looked to Rogue and, for a single moment, she thought she saw regret in his eyes, along with the slightest glimmer of the man he had once been.

Then he slumped forward in his chair, breathing his last and with that Professor Charles Alexander Xavier was dead.

Marie looked up and for an instant met the eyes of Veronique Campion before she transmorphed into a bird and took off, flying with her back to the sun.

Kneeling down she pressed her fingers to Xavier's neck, checking for any sign of a pulse, when she was certain he was truly gone she pressed her fingers to the blood stains on his chest and carefully patted her clothes and face.

She then stood and started screaming hysterically,

"_Help…Somebody…for the love o' God help…he's been shot!"_

People swarmed around her, two women grabbed her by the elbows and forced her roughly backwards into the war pavilion,

"Colonel? Ma'm are you okay?"

"Oh God" Marie pitched forward and had a delayed case of morning sickness,

"Is he alrigh'…please tell me he's goin' t'be alrigh'!"

All three of them looked up as a man entered the tent, he gave a quick signal and one of the women, a pretty brunette knelt in front of her,

"I am sorry to have to tell you this colonel, but, the bullet wound was fatal…Professor Xavier is dead"

Marie choked and, after a few attempts, made it to her feet, she looked down at the holographic images before her, noting that drastic changes had been made in the short time she had been absent.

"Are we still winning?" she asked no one in particular. The general she'd had cover her stepped forward, eyeing her carefully, apparently looking for symptoms of shock.

"Yes we are ma'm, we've already issued terms of surrender to those Wolverine named as being former team members and we have word that Quicksilver fell against Cyclops"

"Good" Marie whispered nodding, "Xavier's dream of peace an' co-existence may soon become reality"

Sometimes idols were more useful dead than alive.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N- No more deaths after this, I am relatively sure, just one more chapter to go, thank-you for all your lovely reviews. Sorry but the site played up on my chapter

* * *

Blood, no matter how often he saw it, smelt it, or felt it drench his skin he would never stop being sickened by it. The earth beneath his feet seemed to have been watered with the rivers of it that had been spilt that morning.

Morning- only one morning it had taken for the last great battle between mutants to be fought and yet so _many_ lay dead.

So many by his hand.

Scott Summers came up behind him and laid his hand on his shoulder,

"This _is_ a victory Logan. We _have_ won!"

And yet the words were hollow, there was no victory when entire families had been wiped out, when friends, brothers and lovers had been forever separated by death, for no greater a crime than fighting for what they had so deeply believed in.

Emma Frost, stepping around the bodies of fallen allies and enemies, telepathically scanning for signs of life and alerting the approaching medics, spotted them and wandered over. She looked dazed and disorientated, not like her usual self without her pristine white clothes and confidence; she crawled under Scott's arm and held him tightly.

"I've told those that survived that they are welcome to switch loyalties"

For a moment Logan thought she was recruiting for Magneto, before memory of him falling under Scott's destructive red glare flashed before his eyes.

He'd died beside his son, howling in rage and grief for the lost future and his dreams.

His enemies were dead, every last one of them. So why did he feel numb inside?

* * *

Scott and Emma were moving back towards the camp slowly, exhaustion evident in their every struggling step, when he saw that there was nothing left for him to fight, Logan followed them, nodding every time somebody saluted him.

Hank McCoy, showing the enviable compassion for others had already switched from his role as soldier to medic, Logan saw the giant man note their presence and then start with shock,

"Logan! Good God...what's happened to you?"

Logan knew what he meant; he looked down to his left hand.

Or the area where his left hand had once been,

Nothing but a bloodied stump, severed at the elbow remained of his left arm, his body part left somewhere on the battlefield beside the remnants of the Murasma blade. He shrugged,

"I was attacked"

Hank rolled his eyes, "Yes I gathered that, but last I knew there was a rather large obstacle of adamantium to prevent such a severance from happening to..."

"Hank..." Scott interrupted, raising his hand at the man and making a chopping gesture,

"Leave it"

He nodded and backed away, leaving Logan to examine his wound. It would heal; already he could see the blood clotting and the bone in the adamantium starting to regrow. It might take months or even years but he would have a fully functioning hand again.

He only wished the same could be said about his heart.

"Where's young Katherine?"

Obviously Hank McCoy would be sticking his foot in it for the rest of the day.

"Fallen in battle" Scott provided, kissing the top of Emma's head as he did so,

"She died bravely fighting for what she believed in"

Admirably he reported the death of his team mate without using even one lie to cover her shameful act.

She _had_ died fighting for what she believed in.

* * *

_Logan snarled as his claws shot out of his knuckles, he'd delayed the use of them for as long as possible._

_Never could Magneto be accused of foolishness. The first wave of warriors he had sent into battle had previously been loyal to Wolverine and he still felt the desire to spare as many of them as possible- remembering the comradeship he had once known with them._

_His appearance in the battle had given the X-Men the advantage, many Brotherhood soldiers had been stunned by his miraculous resurrection and many had faltered before their enemies._

_That hadn't lasted long though._

_In the thick of the battle Logan could concentrate only on finding those who couldn't be taken out by anyone but him._

_He knew Scott and Emma would be going after Magneto, who would render Logan useless if he got close enough to have his skeleton manipulated. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kitty Pryde phase into the ground, just as an acid sprouting mutant made to lunge at her._

_He said a quick prayer for her safety and then hunted for Pietro._

_His height was a disadvantage because he had to push his way through the melee of falling soldiers and those who would try to attack him once they were close enough._

_He saw a familiar flash of silver hair; he knew Pietro would stay close to his father-  
Saving his own skin by relying on his daddy to look out for him._

_What he saw next had him roaring in fury._

_Pietro had the Murasma blade!_

_Figures he wouldn't want to fight the Wolverine in fair combat, no he would want every advantage just in case his enemy did decide to go after him._

_Stinking coward._

_He charged towards his enemies, his claws held at the ready and felt a deep satisfaction when he saw the surprise on Pietro's face._

_He skidded to a halt however when he saw the man crumple to the earth, he found himself frowning, trying to make sense of matter, wondering how the boy could have fainted when he had nerves of steel._

_Beside him there was a burst of red light, a tiny beam that flew over his shoulder and scorched the left side of his face. It hit Magneto square in the chest and down he went. He saw the dancing blonde hair belonging to Emma Frost and saw that she was struggling to make her way over to him, screaming a message that was lost in the deafening cacophony of the battle._

_Concerned he looked back to Pietro and only then saw Kitty Pryde behind him,_

_Clutching the man's heart in her hand, determination written on every inch of her face, when she looked up at him he saw she held the Murasma Blade in her hand. He grinned at her and held out his left hand, either to take the blade or take her arm and lead her to safety he wasn't sure._

_But even with her inexperience in long swords, when Kitty brought the weapon down onto Logan's arm she severed it in a single blow._

_For a moment he looked at his limb in confusion, wondering what had happened._

_Then the agony brought him back to the battle and he cried out in pain, relying on instinct to duck when Kitty flew at him again. He parried her clumsy blow and brought his remaining claws up to block the blade from decapitating him, he aimed a kick at her knee and she stumbled, tripping over his arm and landing on the rocky earth. In her surprise she had partly phased, her arm and the sword becoming trapped in the ground. She was able to free her arm but only a jagged piece of the blade and hilt of the sword was salvageable, she jumped to her feet to face him again._

_"Why?" he asked, aiming an unsuccessful punch at her nose, she parried and landed a kick in his gut,_

_"Because you took my two best friends from me. Jubilee died like a dog because of you and Rogue's been completely ruined, she's not half the woman she once was!"_

_"That wasn't my fault, Kitty" he argued, grunting as the blade slice open his thigh,_

_"Professor Xavier..."_

_"Oh enough of that already" she screamed, letting the blade drop in her hand,_

_"You and Rogue! Xavier's fault this and Xavier's to blame for that...You two ripped the world to shreds and knocked down anyone who stood in the way of what you wanted! Yes, Xavier separated you both in the beginning, but that didn't mean you two had to make the choices you did. Take some responsibility!"_

_These were the last words that Kitty Pryde ever spoke and maybe because of that Logan would remember them til the day he died. When she bared her teeth and raised the remnant of the sword he charged forward, snatching a gun from the hand of a fallen human and pressing it to her left breast. The first shot went straight through her heart and fell to the ground behind her._

_There was no need for a second._

_She looked into his eyes, the slightest frown furrowing her brow when she saw the tears there._

_"For what it's worth...I'll spend the rest of my life loving Marie" he promised her,_

_"And I'll tell her you were never anything but loyal"_

_With the last of her strength a small smile brushed Katherine Pryde's lips before she slid to the earth._

* * *

"General Summers?"

Logan was brought back to the present as a human approached them, her clean uniform evidence of having spent the battle in the war pavilion. She had tears on her cheeks and Logan wondered who she had lost today.

He quickly found out.

"Sir...I'm afraid Professor Xavier has been assassinated; he was shot dead by an enemy sniper. We killed her as she tried to leave the camp...we couldn't save him though Colonel Rogue obviously tried to revive him"

Rogue.

His beautiful darlin' Marie!

"Where is she?" he demanded, breaking into a run back to the camp before the startled officer could even reply.

Emma Frost sent images of the war pavilion to his mind and he headed straight for there, ignoring any who called his name on the way.

He burst into the tent and looked around desperately for the love of his life; he panicked when he couldn't see her at first before a movement in the corner caught his eye.

He saw his lovely goddess hunched over, being patted on the back by another man and gargling mouthwash.

He stalked up behind her and grabbed her round the waist as she was spitting it into a tin bowl, she cried out in shock as he turned her round to face him and gazed in horror at his amputated hand.

She was pale and he could see dried blood on her face and where her tears had removed it. Her eyes went wide with relief and she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately on the mouth. He picked her up and held her against him with bone crushing strength, marching from the tent out into the open.

He wasn't sure how he made it back to their tent without tripping over something or knocking into someone because he had eyes only for her, her face above his as her legs dangled above the ground, clutching him for support. In their tent he dropped her onto the bed and they both raced to remove their clothes, throwing them about the room carelessly. She undressed before him, and she clambered off the bed, helping him undo the button of his pants, when she pushed them to the floor Logan's manhood was freed and stood as testament to his arousal for her. They fell back onto the bed kissing desperately and running their hands over as much of each other as they could reach. Logan reached down to cup behind Marie's knees and pulled them up, wrapping them around his waist, she rocked forward and pushed him back onto his knees, sitting on his lap. She nipped at his neck and then moved his head to her left breast, he obeyed willingly and was rewarded when she lifted herself up and guided him into her.  
The last time, sex had been the end result of weeks and months of foreplay, easing themselves gently into the ultimate display of love. Now it was rushed and forceful, they clutched at each other and found the quickest pace they could, determined to find solace in each other's arms. Marie came first, arching up against Logan and crying his name, seeing her in the throes of an orgasm finished him off and he shouted, spilling himself into her.

Breathless they collapsed onto the bed, Logan resting his head on the soft pillow of Marie's right breast, she stroked his hair absently. Their hands linking and drifting to her womb where their baby grew. They stayed that way for several hours, not sleeping or talking, simply resting in their love for one another and their unborn child. Eventually, when the world had grown dark with nightfall, Marie turned her face to him,

"Who have we lost?" she whispered gently and he sighed,

"Kitty was shot dead during the battle, my darlin'"

She nodded and he wondered if perhaps she understood more of what Kitty had done than he did.

"Xavier revealed he had a plan to ensure your and Scott's death on the battlefield" she murmured, turning on her side and resting their heads on the pillows.

"You were with him when he died?"

She nodded, "I didn't see Egret until after the bullet went through him"

Logan accepted this without question, just as Marie had accepted his story of Kitty's death. The flaw in their love was that they felt too strongly for each other to want to know or care about the fate of those who would have done them harm.

And now they were all dead...

Maybe they could finally start building a life for themselves out of the rubble of the lives they had once known.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N- And here's the final chapter thank-you for your nice reviews.

_

* * *

_

_2014  
Present day_

"Do you love me?"

"Yes"

"Do you love me?"

"Yes"

"How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart munchkin" he assured her, kissing her forehead tenderly, her forehead wrinkled in confusion,

"But what about mummy?"

He leaned in closer, "I have two hearts" he revealed conspiratorially, watching as her eyes went wide,

"Really?"

"Really, one for loving you and one for loving mummy"

She tilted her head and seemed to mull this over for a second before slapping his arm angrily,

"You do not! Liar, liar pants on fire"

Logan laughed and kissed his daughter's raven black curls, holding her close to treasure her scent.

Katherine Jubilation Howlett. The final tribute to the friends Marie had once adored, and whose empty graves lay beneath headstones at the shrine that the rebuilt but abandoned Xavier Institute had become. His three year old daughter. She had a head of raven black ringlets that framed her heart shaped face, the brightest green eyes and a cupid bow mouth, she was short for her age but shockingly quick witted and sharp. Logan always swore up and down that she got her beauty and her brains from her mother, but then she would look at him curiously,

"But what do I get from you, daddy?"

"My temper sweetheart"

"I do not!" she would yell, but as soon as her temper flared at someone it was gone and she would love them again.

* * *

Logan held her in his arms as he carried her to the dining room. The dining room of Emma Frost's Academy. Her school for gifted students regardless of species.  
Scott and Emma sat at the head table, spoon feeding their one year old daughter, Marguerite Frost-Summers.  
His little Katherine held out her arms and Logan dipped her close enough to plant a kiss on the fair down of her goddaughter's hair. Marguerite looked up from her mush with a look of pleasant surprise then squealed out loud with delight.

"Ah!" Logan rubbed his ear trying to soothe the pain.

"Think that one will measure on the Richter scale"

"Have an extremely warm session in the Underworld dear"

Both children's parents had created a verbally clean barrier around their influential ears, however they still wanted to insult each other whenever they felt the inclination.

"You are an unclean loving woman" Logan retorted and, while Scott chose to ignore the banter between his new wife and his former enemy, Emma smirked.

"You're just jealous because I chose to make your daughter and unborn son as Margot's godparents over you"

Blissfully unaware that her father had said anything naughty, Katherine wiggled with excitement,

"Uncle Scott, I'm gonna be a big sister!"

"I know sweetie..." Whatever Scott felt regarding Logan, Kathy he adored unconditionally,

"That's big huh?"

"Yeah!"

Logan couldn't help but grinning at his beautiful little girl's obvious joy at the impending arrival of her sibling. He hadn't been too sure how his little Kathy would cope with having to share the limelight of her parents love, but from the beginning she couldn't be more excited. She asked numerous questions about baby, when he or she would arrive, could he or she sleep in her bed?  
Logan and Marie had to talk her out of giving all her toys to her unborn sibling, promising they'd buy the baby plenty of toys of their own.  
Kathy brought him back to himself by tugging on his mutton chops,

"Daddy...wan' mamma!"

"Let's have lunch first munchkin"

"Lunch with mamma?" she asked hopefully, diplomatically meeting him halfway, placing her fingers on her lips hopefully.

Logan wasn't too sure about the idea. Where Marie had barely noticed any pregnancy symptoms while she had carried Katherine, this time round she had trouble keeping food down and suffered lethargy. To make things easier, Logan had taken most of the parental duties onto his shoulders, using the excuse of letting his wife focus on her pregnancy, to spend even more time with his precious darlin'.  
He hadn't realised it was possible to love another person as much as he loved his Marie.  


* * *

  
Sitting Kathy onto the floor, he filled two plates and placed them onto a tray, moving slowly so his daughter could follow him, clutching to his jeans leg. With the right grip she could follow him around all day without ever needing to switch hands or let go, before she'd first started walking she'd grabbed the leg of any passing beings, once even hitching a ride with the new leader of the United States, Dr Henry McCoy, and been dragged a step or two before picked up and carried to their intended destination or, if they were accounted along the way, her parents. Unfortunately when Sarah, Papillon, found that Kathy tugging on her wings was causing some tendon damage, Logan discouraged Kathy from her familiar treatment to all beings. As it was, she was so quick to learn that she no longer needed assistance walking; her father seemed to fill the dual role of parent and security blanket. They moved slowly through the atrium now, the skylight drenching the cream coloured room in sunlight. In the middle, Dr McCoy stood talking to his PR, who gave Logan a long nervous look as he passed. Dr McCoy saw her reaction and turned to give Logan a quick shrug, in which a thousand words were spoken.

Ever since the establishment of the United States of America as a mutant-human cooperative country, with the civil rights amended to include the term mutant, Logan had been somewhat of an anomaly. Many of the Brotherhood members, after undergoing voluntary psychoanalysis before declared safe to enter normal society, had become probationary citizens. Logan had rejoined the X-Men, but once the humans had got over being grateful, they'd started to bay for his blood. Fortunately those in power felt indebted to him and so he was safe for the time being, but occasionally some political wise arse would make some comment when his baby girl was in earshot, she was too young yet to be anything but baffled. He would explain it to her one day but at the moment she found anyone afraid of her daddy silly, she didn't see that her daddy might be scary to some people. Even though his hand had only finished regrowing recently, and was still hairless for the moment, something which she'd found fascinating, and which he'd had to explain didn't happen to everybody.

They were reaching the door to the teacher's wing now, Kathy going slower as she waved to her many friends. The students adored her, seeing her as the quickest way to her father's good books and was charming on her own account.

Logan put his free fingers to his lips to warn Kathy to be quiet, she nodded sombrely and they tiptoed into the Howlett live in apartments. They had a living room with which two doors led to Kathy's bedroom and his own. Setting the tray on the coffee table, Logan eased into the bedroom, his daughter on his heels.

And there on the bed, dozing lightly, lay Marie Howlett.

Logan's wife of an entire year.

She was dressed in track pants and a loose fitting t-shirt that didn't entirely hide the bulge of her stomach, where his son was growing. Her hand was splayed across her stomach and she'd progressed far enough that Logan could hear the soft heartbeat of his unborn baby.  
Kathy released his hand and wandered to the bed, using her little arms to pull herself up. She crawled across the doona and buried her face in her mama's neck, decisively settling down for her early afternoon nap. Knowing he wouldn't get lunch into her now, Logan admitted defeat and rounded the bed climbing onto the other side and slipping an arm under his wife's back, cradling her closer to him and wrapping an arm under her stomach, reaching across to rest his hand on his daughter's waist.  
In a moment Logan and Kathy fell asleep beside the woman they both adored.


End file.
